Abstract
An isolated surfactant phase (microemulsion, D′) appeared near a water-surfactant axis in a water/dodecyl octaethylene glycol ether/1-dodecanol system. The D′ phase formed two types of three-phase triangles with excess water, lamellar liquid crystalline and reversed micellar solution phases. The solubilization of 1-decanol in the D′ phase was rather small. The composition in the D′ phase is independent from the temperature, whereas the composition in a surfactant phase (middle phase microemulsion, D) in a hydrocarbon system was changed from water-to oil-rich regions with increase in temperature. Judging from the electrical conductivity measurement, the structures of aggregates appear to be three-dimensional continuous bilayers in the D′ phase.
A lamellar liquid crystal extended towards a water corner between the single D′ phase region and aqueous micellar solution phase region. The liquid crystals dispersed in water as vesicles in the dilute region. The correlation between the formation of the D′ phase and water-swollen lamellar liquid crystal is discussed.
